Looking out the window, Asella had an air that seemed quite fitting for her age of fourteen.
As befitting a princess, she wore a voluminous, old-fashioned dress. When sunlight filtered through the willows, her slender silhouette was revealed through the folds of her dress.
The clean line of her shoulders extending from her soft neckline made one imagine the body hidden beneath her collar.
Her indifferent expression as she gazed at the flowers held a spoonful of curiosity.
It made me wonder if she might be from a completely different world than the crazed villainess I knew.
...She is pretty, I'll give her that.
"No, that's not right."
I pushed away the suspicion that this girl might be someone other than the Empire's 7th Emperor.
She was the villainess who had driven me to death countless times. No matter how young she appeared, I had no intention of being fooled.
"First, I need to assess the situation. I didn't go back one month, but ten years. Are there any side effects?"
One phrase in my status window caught my eye.
[All playtime has been used.]
[Further regression is impossible.]
This meant it was my last chance.
"It doesn't matter. This is enough."
Better to live through ten years of endless possibilities once than to repeat the same suffocating month infinitely.
It's not just ten years.
There will be no bad endings in this life.
I'll live out my natural lifespan, won't I?
There was even one more special perk.
"Ending List."
A list appeared on my status window.
―――――――――――
○ Ending List
You can see the real-time probability of each ending occurring from the current point.
Bad endings that reach 0% probability are removed from the list and will not occur afterward.
· Bad Endings
No. 001: Dragon Corps (New!) 42%
No. 002: Great Collapse 22%
No. 003: Beheading of a Hundred 87%
No. 004: Sweet Poison 56%
No. 005: Demon King's Army Victory 73%
...
No. 101: Magic Power Overload 4%
―――――――――――
"Wow, this is ridiculous."
I hadn't realized there were this many since they weren't compiled into a list before.
They've even kindly numbered them.
Looking through each one, they're all deaths I've experienced.
Among them are bad endings I've experienced multiple times. For instance, No. 5, "Demon King's Army Victory," appears when I'm defeated in the final battle against the Demon King.
"Ugh, gives me chills."
Each letter only brings back unpleasant memories. I never want to see them again.
The list continued. I scrolled down.
―――――――――――
· Normal Endings
· ■■■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ 0.1%
· ■■■ ■■■ ■■ ■■■ 0.3%
· ■■■ ■■■■■ 0.2%
· Good Endings
· ■■■ ■, ■■ ■■■■ 0%
· ■■■■, ■■■, ■■■■ 0%
· ■■■ ■■ 0%
· ■■■■
· ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■ 0%
―――――――――――
"So they do exist?"
Normal and good endings were dutifully listed as well.
"I suppose these are the probabilities if I do nothing from now on."
Wait, these probabilities are garbage.
The good endings all had 0% probability.
I should sue for violation of fair trade laws.
"Does this mean the probabilities will change based on my actions from now on?"
I wonder if the good endings will ever gain probability.
This is something I'll need to experiment with.
Just then, there was a knock, and a middle-aged man's voice came from outside the door.
—Young Lord, you really must prepare now.
I wanted to check my status window more, but it seemed I didn't have much time.
Asella is my fiancée and the Empire's princess.
She's visiting my family with the Empress, and it would be absurd for the Marquis's heir not to greet them.
Besides, with the sun already high in the sky, I'd be the worst for having slept in so late.
'In the original story, I, Lars Gotberg, was a rascal known as the family's disgrace.'
My status and reputation in the family must be rock bottom right now.
That's why they've stuck me in the most remote annex of this huge mansion, and on a day like today, they didn't even bother to wake me early for fear I might cause trouble.
'Ten years later, I lost my family, my health was poor, and I was despised by everyone around me.'
If this continues, the same future awaits me.
From now on, things must change.
I got up and flung the door open.
"Oh my! You're awake, sir?"
The butler jumped in surprise and averted his gaze.
His face seemed vaguely familiar.
'This must be Sivers, my assigned butler.'
I responded to him calmly.
"Good morning, Sivers."
"Oh... y-yes, yes."
Sivers sweated profusely at my response, looking bewildered.
He seemed to wonder if I'd eaten something strange.
"I'll prepare right away. Bring me my formal attire. Please apologize respectfully to the Princess for my tardiness."
Sivers gaped at my requests.
"Hmm, was I speaking too quickly? I thought someone as capable as you would remember."
Finally, Sivers shook his head vigorously and responded promptly.
"O-of course! It's just that I didn't expect the Young Lord to speak so... politely..."
"Haha, how could I be anything but nervous on the day my fiancée arrives? Ah, don't forget to bring refreshments as well."
"Understood! I'll prepare right away!"
As Sivers hurried to move, I patted his shoulder.
"Yes, Young Lord. Is there something else...?"
"You always work so hard, Sivers."
My words made Sivers choke up. I could easily tell his emotions were running high.
"What's wrong?"
"N-nothing, sir. I've served you for ten years now, but I never thought you'd remember my name... Leave it to me!"
He dashed off to carry out his tasks. I appreciated his high level of loyalty.
With Sivers and the maids' help, I quickly finished preparing.
Down the stairs to the first floor of the annex.
Just before stepping out the front door, my eyes caught various decorative swords and daggers displayed elegantly above the fireplace.
"Hmm."
I looked around. Having walked down so quickly, no servants had caught up yet.
I swiftly pulled a dagger from the display, concealed it at my waist, and continued walking as if nothing had happened.
The Gotberg family, befitting a Marquis house, had a mansion consisting of several buildings and an enormous estate.
My room was located in the mansion's annex.
The garden where Asella was strolling was right behind the annex, so I could go meet her directly.
As I entered the flower garden, my shoes made soft crunching sounds on the grass.
I passed through the tall willow trees.
With each step, the glittering golden hair drew closer.
As the fresh breeze gently caressed her, she turned her head and met my eyes.
'Her gaze is still the same.'
Asella's long eyelashes were like crow's wings.
They seemed to fan above her eyelids.
Her golden irises were the color of topaz glittering in the desert. If I lost focus for a moment, I felt I might be sucked in.
Asella von Württemfelt.
The woman who would become the Empire's 7th Emperor and reach the pinnacle of magic.
Or should I call her a magical weapon?
Someone who, out of hatred for the world, used every means at her disposal to somehow lead it to destruction—a villainess of historic proportions.
And now, she's my fiancée.
Ugh, gives me chills.
"Princess."
I called to her lightly, and an answer returned from her tiny lips.
"Young Lord Gotberg."
...Hearing that voice, my fists clenched involuntarily.
Was it fear of having been killed by her so many times, or was it anger?
Well, I've greeted her, but what should I do with this woman now?
Part of me wants to slap her once to repay all the grudges I've accumulated.
'Be patient, I must be patient.'
Because I can't regress anymore.
I also want to run away.
Just thinking about the magic Asella has used makes my heart pound with fear.
I'd love to sign an engagement termination agreement right now, go about my business, and let this villainess go her own way.
But if I run away here, Asella will become Emperor and likely destroy the world with high probability.
The ending list makes that clear.
'What if I kill Asella now?'
The future Asella gains immense power and magic.
She has no enemies anywhere.
If I eliminate her now, before she becomes Emperor, couldn't I prevent dozens of bad endings?
...Now that I've gone back ten years, she hasn't committed her evil deeds yet.
But I've died countless times because of Asella, and there's no doubt she'll go down in history as the worst villainess.
"It's an honor to meet you. This is our first face-to-face meeting. I, the heir of Gotberg, greet Your Highness."
I bowed my head in respect. Asella lowered her eyes slightly and examined me.
'What would happen if I did this?'
I slowly reach for the dagger hidden behind my back.
I quietly draw it out, preparing to assassinate her.
The current Asella shouldn't be able to use extraordinary magic yet.
Meanwhile, I've been through countless battlefields.
I could end this in an instant.
Then, the numbers on my status window began to change frantically.
―――――――――――
· Bad Endings
No. 001: Dragon Corps (New!) 42% → 0%
No. 002: Great Collapse 22% → 0%
No. 003: Beheading of a Hundred 87% → 0%
No. 004: Sweet Poison 56% → 0%
No. 005: Demon King's Army Victory 73% → 98%
...
No. 101: Magic Power Overload 4% → 100%
―――――――――――
'Oh, I see.'
As expected, most of the destruction endings caused by her evil deeds would be eliminated.
But just one bad ending, "Magic Power Overload," jumps to 100% probability.
'That was definitely the ending where Asella's magic goes berserk and consumes the entire continent.'
The memory is still vivid.
The unpleasant sensation of my body being crushed by her mana.
This means if I kill her now, her internal magic will immediately go berserk.
She's like a living bomb. What a difficult woman.
'I can't kill her carelessly.'
Besides, if I assassinate her here, it's obvious I'd be the culprit, so I can't act immediately.
I can't be executed for regicide.
I've figured out how the ending list works.
I returned the dagger to its hiding place.
'While Asella is still young, I need to break her so she can't trigger bad endings. Escaping comes after that.'
As I was thinking this, a cold voice pierced my eardrum like an awl.
"Aren't you going to take it out? That knife."
...Hmm.
Am I doomed?
One number on the ending list was glowing bright red and changing ominously.
[No. 056: Villainess's Hatred 6% → 99%]
'Wait, this is the ending where I'm simply killed by Asella.'
It usually appeared when I couldn't control my temper and defied Asella, offended her, or picked a fight.
This is bad.
A bad ending could happen right now?
I underestimated this woman too much.
To think she'd notice the dagger hidden behind my back.
'Tsk.'
Given the situation, I need to improvise.
"Of course I'll take it out. Wouldn't it be shameful for a man not to draw a blade once he's grasped it?"
"You've got nerve."
"In return, would you show me what you're hiding behind your back, Princess?"
Asella hesitated at my proposal.
She had been hiding both hands behind her back since meeting me.
I had heard about what happened on this day.
Asella said she was picking yellow roses in the garden when I scolded her. Apparently, I yelled at her for damaging another family's property.
She had kept that incident in her heart.
A woman's grudge truly runs deep.
As Asella continued to hesitate, I spoke more firmly.
"Shouldn't we show what we're holding without hiding anything? We are engaged, after all."
"...You have a point."
Asella dropped the roses she had been hiding onto the ground.
Even if we're engaged, this is still another family's property.
She did damage the garden without permission. She seemed a bit tense, perhaps knowing she was in the wrong.
I approached her with the dagger.
Slowly, I knelt on one knee.
And then, I began trimming the rose stems with the dagger.
"...What are you doing?"
"Beautiful flowers often have many thorns. It would be terrible if Your Highness were to injure your hands."
I carefully removed each thorn from the stems with the dagger.
"How did you know?"
"My room is up there."
I nodded toward my room.
"I could see Your Highness from above. I saw you picking flowers, so I prepared."
"Hmm."
Did she not buy it?
Did it sound too much like a lie?
Stupid roses.
If only an assassin had appeared, I could have stabbed him instead.
No, wait.
I am the assassin.
Please just let it go. While I was inwardly begging and busily scraping the rose stems, suddenly—thud.
Asella bent down and grabbed my chin, making me look into her eyes.
Her deep golden irises seemed to want to devour me, pulling me in.
"You, come to my room later."
Asella told me this with a devilish smile.
It was a smile I remembered.
―――――――――――
· Notice: Ending occurrence probabilities have changed.
· Bad Ending
No. 056: Villainess's Hatred 99% → 21%
· Good Ending
· ■■■ ■, ■■ ■■■■
0% → 0.04%
· ■■■■
· ■■■■ ■■■ ■■■ ■■■■
0% → 0.001%
―――――――――――